Alienation (Enchanted Evening), abuse of power (Out to Sea) and the limitations of human freedom under a totalitarian system (Serenade) are the telling themes of three of the most popular plays by Polish dramatist Slavomir Mro?ek.
These productions will be brought to life by Pace University's Performing Arts students, alumni and faculty in association with La MaMa Experimental Theatre (E.T.C.). Performances will be held at La MaMa's Lower East Side location, 74a East 4th Street, on Friday, March 19 and Saturday, March 20 at 10:00 pm, and Sunday, March 21 at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased online at www.lamama.org
For Enchanted Night Director Ruis Woertendyke, Chair of the Performing Arts Department at Pace University, the return to Ellen Stewart's La MaMA is a homecoming of sorts. A La Mama baby of the late 1970s and early 1980s, his work as a playwright was showcased there, namely Brothers and Sisters, Love and Junk, American Babies, along with his collaborations with Felix Montez - Slow Poison, Small Fires. Woertendyke will be joined during this limited run by his Pace colleagues: Grant Kretchik, Director of BFA Acting Program, and Cosmin Chivu, Acting and Theater Arts Adjunct Faculty.
Each evening will consist of these three one-act plays by Mrozek:
ENCHANTED NIGHT - two business men spend the night together in a hotel while on a conference. They are visited by a beautiful young woman but don't know which of them she has come for . . . or is she real at all and maybe this is a dream and what are you doing in my dream? A night they'll both try to forget. This comically provocative one-act is underscored by the band playing downstairs, the passing train, and a squeaky bed. Directed by Ruis Woertendyke and featuring Grant Kretchik (appears courtesy of Actors Equity), Jon Gabrielson, Lilah Shreeve
OUT AT SEA - a story of the selfish, savvy and eager. Stranded at sea three characters take a surreal journey when they are forced to decide how to survive. Campaigning, elections, and scandal all give way to sacrifices for the greater good. The human need for a sense of purpose and legacy can create quiet an appetite. Directed by Grant Kretchik and featuring Kristen Vaphides, Julie Robles, Dorothy James Loechel, Matt Alford, Ruis Woertendyke
SERENADE- tells the story of Fox, a natural born killer with a conscience. He attempts to seduce the Hens of a local henhouse, under the beak of an overprotective Rooster. Directed by Cosmin Chivu and featuring Chris Azzara, Steve Lesce, Chelsea Roe, Kehinde Koyejo, Talitha Custer, George Robson, Giacomo Rocchini
All three one-act plays feature Set Design by Gian Marco Loforte, Live Music by George Robson and Sound Design by Scott O'Brien.
About La MaMa Experimental Theater Club - A world-renowned cultural organization led by founder Ellen Stewart, it has passionately pursued its original mission to develop, nurture, support, produce and present new and original performance work by artists of all nations and cultures. Since La MaMa's doors first opened in 1961, its primary dedication has been to new works. To date, over 1000 original scores have been presented on its Lower East Side stages. La MaMa has been honored with over thirty Obie Awards, dozens of Drama Desk Awards, Bessie Awards and Villager Awards. Over the past 49 years, La MaMa has grown into an arts complex of national and international celebrity. La MaMa houses three theatres, "The First Floor Theatre", "The Club" and "The Annex", an art gallery, a 6-story rehearsal/studio building, and an extensive archive documenting the history of off-off Broadway theatre.
About Pace Performing Arts, New York City Campus: Faculty as working professionals (actors, Broadway/Off-Broadway directors, casting professionals) is a trademark of Pace's Performing Arts Department, located a mere two express subway stops from Broadway. Over 30 productions a year are among the attractions the undergraduate program has to offer students pursuing Bachelor of Fine Arts Degrees in Acting or Musical Theater or a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater Arts with specialized focuses in Acting, Directing or Design/Technical Theater. Read more at http://www.pace.edu/pace/dyson/academic-departments-and-programs/performing-arts
On a graduate level, The Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University is the only Master in Fine Arts theater program officially sanctioned by The Actors Studio. The entire faculty is chosen and approved - and the curriculum is designed and supervised - by the leadership of The Actors Studio through its Curriculum Advisory Committee, including the Presidents of The Actors Studio, Ellen Burstyn, Harvey Keitel and Al Pacino. All students -- actors, directors, playwrights - train side-by-side as actors. All students participate in the Craft Seminars known to the world as the Bravo Network television series, "Inside The Actors Studio," hosted by James Lipton. For further information about the program, go to www.pace.edu/actorsstudiomfa
